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US officials file fraud charges against civil rights group
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has accused the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a prominent civil rights organization, of wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche alleged on Tuesday that the SPLC secretly funded extremist groups it publicly opposed, including the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), by paying informants embedded within them.
Indictment details and allegations
The indictment outlines six counts of wire fraud, four counts of bank fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Prosecutors claim the SPLC funneled over $3 million between 2014 and 2023 to individuals linked to violent extremist organizations, such as the neo-Nazi National Alliance and the National Socialist Movement.
One payment of $1 million was made to an informant who infiltrated the National Alliance and stole 25 boxes of documents from the group's headquarters. Another $270,000 was sent to an individual involved in planning the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, though the indictment does not specify the nature of their work for the SPLC.
"The SPLC was not dismantling these groups. It was instead manufacturing the extremism it purports to oppose by paying sources to stoke racial hatred," Blanche stated during a press conference.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche
SPLC denies wrongdoing, cites long history of threats
In a preemptive video statement, SPLC Interim President Bryan Fair called the charges an attempt to "weaponize" the justice system against an organization that has spent 55 years combating white supremacy and injustice. Fair acknowledged the group's use of informants but described it as necessary due to persistent threats, including a 1983 firebombing of its office.
Fair also noted that the SPLC had previously shared informant-gathered intelligence with law enforcement, including the FBI, and had since discontinued the practice of paying informants. He accused the Trump administration of targeting the group, pointing to the FBI's decision last October to sever ties with the SPLC over allegations of partisan bias.
Political tensions and past criticisms
The SPLC has faced long-standing criticism from conservative groups and Republican officials, who accuse it of unfairly labeling organizations like Turning Point USA, the Family Research Council, and Moms for Liberty as extremist. The group's strained relationship with the Trump administration has further fueled accusations of political motivation behind the charges.
Fair addressed these tensions directly, stating, "We are unsurprised to be the latest organization targeted by this administration."
SPLC vows to fight charges
The SPLC has pledged to "vigorously defend" itself against the allegations. In a statement following the indictment, the organization reiterated its commitment to combating hate groups while denying any wrongdoing in its funding practices.
